You´re the God of this city

First of all, on the ride from Santa Cruz to Cochabamba, we got to see that road blocks are a common ordeal here. We also got to drink some delicious juice, see a parade of many different traditional dances, have the car stop in the mountains and have to wait a little while for it too work again, and eat some delicious things from a panaderia!

The second night at my host families house I got sick.. but luckily it only lasted about 24 hours, and I´ve slowly been getting better and been able to eat more since then. And being healthy makes it a lot easier to eat the food they put in front of me, especially when I´m not sure what it is!

Last week, Cori, Stephen, and I helped at a guarderia, a day care place, for the week. In the morning we would go down to the jail to help pick up some of the kids. When their mom is in jail, they have to go as well. We stayed there until midday when we would go back to our host families for lunch and a time to relax. In the afternoons we have spanish class and spend the night with our families. On friday, we got to use public transportation for the first time on the way home from the guarderia. Stephen and I got a bit lost as we were confused as to where we were suppossed to go, but we ended up finding it alright, just a longer ride and walk that necessary. We walk to class sometimes which is great because its about a 45 minute walk, and I definitely enjoy the exercise!

The weather is great! In the mornings and evenings its a bit cool, sometimes around freezing, but during the day in the sun it is absolutely gorgeous!

Yesterday I went to church with my host mom. It was a tiny baptist church with about 20 members. After the sermon I had to go up front and introduce myself and then everyone came up and welcomed me. I guess this is what happens in small churches when a visiter comes...

God is trying to teach me some lessons while I´m here. Lately I´ve been a bit frustrated by my lack of spanish skills. Before coming I thought I was descent at speaking and understanding spanish, but being around it all the time is hard. I don´t know if its the accent here or what, but I have a hard time understanding and replying to questions. I think my host family thinks that I don´t know much spanish, but I can understand most of their conversations! I´m learning to trust in God when I get frustrated, to ask for patience, and to realize that its OK if I don´t know everything I want to say.

Prayer requests:
- Spanish speaking/understanding ability
- patience
- that I will be able to have a conversations with my host family about what is important in life
- the guarderia that I´ve been helping at is shut down for a few weeks because the fleu has arrived here... pray for health and healing for those who are sick already

love!

Be joyful in everything!

So now that I´ve been here for a week I thought I would update you all a bit, but I don´t have much time.
My host family is great. I have a mom, dad, 3 brothers but only 1 lives at home, and 2 nieces who are over often and 1 nephew. One of my nieces adores me already, and the other one is only 5 months old.
This week we´ve been helping at a daycare and that has been fun. I worked with the babies, and 1 day with 3-4 yr olds. Today we took the truffee taxi home and got a bit lost but it turned out ok.
Well.. I´ve gotta go. I´ll update more when I get a chance!
Love!

Estamos aqui!

We made it here safely! Thursday we sat in the airport and flew here, stayed overnight in another city, and then drove all day Friday. We've had some great cultural experience so far, I'd love to tell you about them sometime :)
Love!

Good-bye Michigan...

As I get ready to head out on this wonderful adventure that many of you know as an SOS (Summer of Service), I yet again say good-bye to my friends and family of my beautiful home-state.

But. I'm ready.

My suitcase is almost packed. My flight leaves in the morning. My heart is longing to go. To go out into the beautiful unknown. To serve my creator, and to say "Thanks" for saving me.

"For we are God's workmanship (poema - song, poem..), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10
God's got this. He's got a plan, and He's created me for this purpose.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.... Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." - Romans 12:1,13

There's something crazy-cool about this faith we have, something unique. Our maker sent His son to the earth to die for US. He died on the cross so that we don't have to. Our sin is taken care of. He rose from the dead and lives in us. All we have to do is accept that. Accept His grace, and live a transformed life. Live a life of thanksgiving to Him. yay God :)


Well... I fly to Florida tomorrow, and next week to Bolivia! I'm excited and ready to go. I'll update more on here when I get a chance, but I'm not making any promises.

Please pray for safe travel, and for my fellow SOS teammates who are serving God around the world.

Love!

waiting and learning

So basically I keep hearing about my friends who have left already for their SOS or for other traveling adventures for the summer, and I wonder why I have to keep waiting at home for a little bit longer until I leave. Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy being at home as well. I mean, they're all out serving God all over the world, and I'm just sitting at home. But God can and desires to use me here too. I don't have to go half way around the world to serve Him even if that is where my heart is. I know that He has a plan in my life and it is so good to see that unfolding :)

I have had a lot more down time recently since I don't have school work or anything to focus on, and a lot of my friends are not around my home, so I have been reading through a book by Duane Elmer called "Cross-Cultural Servanthood". It has some great reminders in it for me as I prepare for this summer, and I am thankful for the time that I have at home so that I can read it before I leave. Each time I read this book, I get more and more excited to be able to live out my passion for missions this summer.

Prayer requests:
~ For the SOSers who have already left for their missions
~ For those of us who are still preparing
~ For our family and friends, as they have to deal with limited communication with us for the summer
~ That we can all have open hearts and open minds to listen to God's plan, even when it is different from our own

love!

Preparation

Hello everyone!
As I prepare for traveling this summer, I decided that blogging would be a good way to keep in contact with my friends and relatives back home :)

I have a couple weeks yet before I go, so I probably won't post much for a little while. Summer break is quite enjoyable so far, although saying goodbye at the end of the school year was hard for me this year. It is hard to imagine not knowing when I will get to see some of my best friends again.

God is so good and so faithful, and He has taught me much this semester about what it means to love and serve Him! I am excited for all that He has prepared for me and for my teammates for this summer!

As I spend just a little bit of time at home, I greatly appreciate all your prayers and support for what God is doing in my life.

~Katie